![]() ![]() Over the last 10/20 years, seating designs have become more minimalistic and less ornate, which suits steel because it is much stronger in thinner profiles, whereas iron is very brittle. Steel is the material that has superseded iron. This proportion has now almost completely reversed to 10%, especially for private projects. What are the Alternatives to Cast Iron?ġ, Traditionally, 90% of benches were manufactured with a iron frame. Steel and stainless steel are also manufactured from iron ore, but they have to go through additional processes to lower the carbon content and introduce alloyed elements. Stainless steel is like steel in terms of carbon content, but it is alloyed with chromium which makes stainless steel resistant to rust.Ĭast Iron is the closest metal to iron ore that is mined from the earth in terms of how much processing is needed to transform the mined iron ore into the finished product. As mentioned earlier in this article, cast iron has a 2% – 4% carbon content whereas steel has a 0.1% – 0.5% carbon content. The main difference between iron and steel is the carbon content. How is Cast Iron related to Steel and Stainless Steel? This is partly why it is popular for benches and seating because it is easy to form into intricate shapes and patterns – the alternative, laser cutting steel, is much more difficult and therefore, more expensive. The reason it is called cast iron and not simply iron is because it is very runny when it is molten and does not shrink much when it solidifies, which makes it ideal for making castings. It will readily rust due to the high amount of carbon present within the metal. This high carbon content gives iron its rough and bumpy feel, but also makes it more brittle than steel and stainless steel. Carbon typically makes up 2% – 4% of the overall metal. Although it has been superseded by steel since the 1950’s it is still used today for a limited number of applications, including benches.Ĭast Iron is mainly iron, but it is also alloyed, or mixed with carbon. Since then, humans have relied on its characteristics up until the current day. Records show that cast iron was first discovered and used by the Chinese in the 5 th Century BC. This article will take a closer look at this metal specifically focusing on its sustainability. Although the variety of design and manufacture of street furniture has greatly improved over time, cast iron is still used extensively for benches and seating. Traditionally, the term ‘street furniture’ would be associated with benches manufactured with a cast iron frame. ![]()
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